1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image information processing apparatus having a three-dimensional labeling apparatus for labeling image data of an object such as a material and a product having specific areas therein so as to effectively determine a characteristic or a defect state, and, more particularly, to an image information processing apparatus which can perform three-dimensional labeling processing using a two-dimensional image processing function.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a tomographic image forming apparatus such as an X-ray CT scanner, an NMR-CT scanner utilizing a nuclear magnetic resonance phenomenon (NMR), or an ultrasonic tomographic apparatus can intermittently form a plurality of tomographic images of a human body or an industrial product in a direction perpendicular to a slice direction. In order to extract image information of a specific three-dimensional area from the tomographic images (slice images), specific areas of a plurality of adjacent two-dimensional tomographic images must be sequentially connected with each other to be used as a three-dimensional image.
In order to perform the above three-dimensional image processing in a conventional manner, binary images are compared with each other in units of two adjacent pixels in a tomographic image using a general computer, and binary pixels belonging to a specific area are connected. Then, the next adjacent tomographic image which is intermittently obtained is subjected to the same processing to find a specific area on the tomographic image. Binary images of pixels at the same position of the adjacent tomographic images are compared to check whether they belong to the specific area. This processing is repeatedly performed to extract the specific area in a three-dimensional direction. In this manner, the conventional three-dimensional image processing must be performed using the general computer for a long time period.
In the above conventional three-dimensional processing, adjacent pixels are sequentially compared on each tomographic image and between adjacent tomographic images, thereby finding connection of a specific area. Therefore, the processing cannot be performed at high speed, and other processing is adversely affected. In addition, it is difficult to make the entire system compact because a general computer is used, and therefore the system becomes expensive.